I Did??? Part 1.
written by:
Bitemeplease

"Sam you can't actually condone this? I thought you'd be talking me out of it!" Helen cried.

Sam shrugged grinning. "Why? It's your sisters fault for making you bring the letter saying she's dumping Lucas the day they are due to be wed."

"But marry him instead?"

Sam waved her hand. "You won't be exactly. The priest will say her name, the papers will say her name, you will sign your name. Ergo not really married as not legal."

"This is ridiculous!" Helen said throwing her hands in the air.

Just an hour ago she had delivered a letter posted through her door by her stupid sister and she knew it was to say she had left him. Now somehow she had been talked into going through with the wedding in the place of her sister so Lucas would save face in front of his business associates.

She had brought her best friend Sam along for moral support as she delivered the bad news and for some reason she seemed more than happy to encourage Helen to go through with the farce.

"You know the dress will never fit." She tried one last time, and it wouldn't she was at least 4 sizes bigger than her sister, not to mention a good 5 inches taller.

"That is why I'm here." A brisk voice said as an extremely gay man burst through the door, followed by 2 female assistants.

"I am Anton, designer of that perfect gown. Ah beautiful, beautiful, not much to do a few nips, a few tucks and you will be glorious!" He proclaimed looking over at Sam.

"Not me. She's the lucky girl." Sam said ignoring Helen's glare.

Anton's eyes widened when he saw her. "Oh no, no, no this will not do I cannot be expected to make that perfection that much larger. In 2 hours it is impossible!!" He flung up in his hands in a huff.

"Well there you go impossible." Helen said standing up. "Guess he'll have to go with the truth."

"Wait!" Anton suddenly cried. "Turn!" he commanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Turn young lady. Yes, yes, I like it." He said as Helen turned round inspecting her outfit. "Quirky yet feminine, different yet familiar. Who says your dress should be all white? Of course not it wouldn't be you. Simone! Chantelle!" he suddenly snapped clapping his hands. "Measure, bring. We have work to do." He said pointing to Helen then the dress before flouncing out the room.

The girls quickly measured Helen then followed Anton carrying the dress.

"Wow now that's a drama queen." Sam said sitting beside Helen.

Helen just glared at her best friend. "Maybe you should tell him he also needs to do a maid of honour dress for you and he'll go into total meltdown and I won't have to do this." She suggested.

"Really? Oh Helen thank you!" Sam said playfully pretending to tear up. "Oh what I've always wanted, to be your fake maid of honour at your fake wedding!" Helen laughed as Sam threw her arms around her.

"Well if I'm going to Hell for lying in a church then so are you." She said. "How does he think he's going to get away with this? I mean won't people notice I'm not Hannah?"

"You heard his assistant no one has met her before. Whirlwind romance and all that. I mean what they've only been seeing each other for 4 months?"

"Hmm." Helen muttered thoughtfully.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I'm wondering if it might be more than a simple whirlwind thing." Helen said quietly, thinking about the things her sister would be capable of.

"What? You think she fell in love with the money and claimed?" She made a round gesture over her stomach.

At Helen's raised eyebrows she replied with. "Look Helen you're my best friend and I love you lots. But your sister... well she's..."

"A selfish, lying, gold digging whore?" Helen supplied cheerfully.

Sam laughed. "Exactly and you're not. You're the total opposite, which is why I love you so much, you go out of your way to help others. I mean just look at what you're doing now."

"Oh God! Why did I let you talk me into this?" Helen groaned as she dropped her head into her hands.

"I didn't, I believe Lucas did."

"Actually he didn't really say anything he just nodded when his brother suggested it while playing with that coin of his." She said her voice muffled by her hands.

"Hey look on the bright side." Sam said nudging her. "You'll be a fake wife of a billionaire. Just think of the fake shopping trips we could go on." That made Helen laugh. "So come on then tell me all about my fake best friend-in-law."

"What's to tell? I think you know as much as I do. His name is Lucas Vacilli, he's 37, comes from old Italian money but has made his own fortune. Was due to get married to my sister today in front of his business associates and 2 family members - his brothers and that's it."

"You missed out 6'4" of gorgeous Italian hunkness." Sam said grinning. "And those eyes! I've heard of violet eyes before but I've never seen them until today and coupled with the jet black hair mmmm. But didn't you meet him before today?"

Helen nodded. "A couple of times, but we really didn't talk much. You know Hannah if the conversation is not about her she sulks, plus it was just flying visits. He did seem surprised by my name though."

"Why, what's so surprising about Helen?"

Helen shrugged. "I have no idea, when I first told him he looked so shocked and murmured ‘another H. Mercy' I don't think I was supposed to hear it but before I could ask Hannah swooped in and swept him out of the door."

Just then the door opened and in walked Judy, Lucas' assistant. "Ok so Anton is busy fixing the dress, your hair and makeup will be started in 10 minutes. I took the liberty to tell Anton Miss Evans here will be your maid of honour so he is organising a dress. Signore Vacilli said she was your best friend so he assumed...Is this correct?"

"Erm...Yes." Helen stuttered amazed at the woman's efficiency.

"Good. We'll tell the guests that your car has broken down and we're trying to get you to the church as soon as possible, which will give us a bit more time to get you ready, Anton has insisted on at least another hour maybe longer. Now the ceremony will be conducted in traditional Latin. Do not worry, the other Miss Mercy never showed to any of the rehearsals so the priest will assume you're her and just do what he was going to. He'll nod at you when it's your turn to say I do. Got that? Good." She said at Helen's nod. "Now can I get you ladies anything?" She asked. "No? Ok well I have lots to do and only a few hours to arrange it all. Don't worry my dear Anton is an overdramatic queen but he is a genius. You will look stunning." And she dashed out.

Helen snorted. "He'd have to be a genius to get that dress to fit me and look half decent."

...............

He was a genius and more. He had shortened the dress so it now came to just below her knees, taken out a lot of material that had caused the silk to flare out. So it now looked like a simple 50's design dress. He had used some of the excess material to make a shawl attached across her shoulders and back to hide the gaping back that was obviously sewn together with ribbon. He had also cut the skirt in sections and sewn it back up so the extra panel required for it to fit wouldn't be obvious.

He had taken the long pale blue silk scarf Helen had been wearing and wrapped it round the waist and crossed it over her breasts before tying it at the back of her neck in a bow. He had also added small red roses to the skirt so her dress matched her shoes perfectly. They were her favourites, pale blue and white stripes with a big red heart on the front where her toes peeped through. Luckily Helen had decided to go fairly normal and have her toenails and fingernails all red instead of her usual multicolour scheme.

The beautician had clipped her auburn hair back loosely and allowed tendrils to escape framing her face, she had used minimal makeup, except for bright red lipstick - but had managed to highlight Helen's stunning silver grey eyes so they were the first things you saw instead of the lips. Helen couldn't believe it when she had looked in the mirror - was that really her? She loved the whole outfit it was so her and it actually made her look taller than her 5'9" frame and seemed to even out her weight, it even looked like she had a waist and her small B cup breasts look bigger.

"Stop looking so terrified. It's your wedding day you're supposed to be happy." Sam whispered to her as they climbed out the car at the church.

"I can't help it, I am terrified." Helen hissed back.

"Signorina Mercy, thank you so much for helping my brother out like this." A rather handsome man said bowing low before her. "I am Nicolas, it will be my pleasure to walk you down the aisle."

Helen nodded and bit her lip so she wouldn't laugh at Sam's wide-eyes and the way she mouthed ‘Wow he's hot!'

She smiled to see Nicolas' eyes rove appreciatively over Sam's body as she walked in front of them. Anton had made her a very simple dress of silk draped around her tall slim body and fastened by a clasp at her waist and neck in an almost Greek goddess look that suited her dark good looks.

Nicolas patted her hand making her realise she was squeezing his arm tightly, digging her nails into him nervously. "Sorry." She whispered.

He smiled down at her as he passed her hand over to Lucas at the alter. Helen swallowed as he took her hand firmly and she looked into those dark violet eyes. Sam hadn't been wrong, Lucas was stunningly handsome, his black hair and olive skin made his eyes stand out more and the fact that he made Helen feel small even in her heels just added to his attraction. He lifted her hand and pressed his soft lips to the back of it smiling as he felt it shake in his grasp.

The priest droned on forever in Latin and Helen tried to pay attention but since it made no sense to her, her mind started to wander. Namely to the way the back of her hand burned where his lips had pressed against it. Stop being so stupid, she told herself you're just imagining things. Oh hurry up and get to the I pronounce you man and wife bit, she mentally urged the priest.

Then she blinked. Oh God after that it would be you may now kiss the bride! She had totally forgotten about that part! Wait, hang on did the priest just say Helen Mercy? Helen blinked in confusion at the priest as he nodded to her.

"Oh, um I do." She said when Lucas squeezed her hand prompting her, a few titters and murmurs ran through the congregation and she heard Sam cough trying to hide her laughter. So she kept her concentration on the priest and answered promptly each time she was supposed to.

She caught herself from breathing a big sigh of relief when he turned his attention to Lucas and stood there trying not to fall over or hyperventilate, was she really going through with this? She managed to get the ring on his finger without dropping it as her hands were shaking so much, all she could think about was what to do when he kissed her. Did she hold still? Kiss him back? What did he want her to do?

All too soon the priest smiled and said in English. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Lucas turned towards her and lifted her face to his with a gentle hand under her chin and pressed his lips to hers. Helen's eyes closed as his lips parted and his tongue gently caressed her lips, they opened of their own accord and his tongue dipped inside playing with her own before drawing back as the chuckles and applause reminded them they were not alone.

Helen blushed so red and couldn't think straight, she blindly followed Lucas and the priest to sign the register. She just put her name where they pointed, she had no clue what she had just signed it could have been for anything she didn't care. My God that man could kiss.

Lucas kept his arm around her waist as they walked back out into the church to more applause and they smiled for the pictures. Before she was whisked away into the car outside. Once inside practically alone with Lucas, other than the driver, she didn't know what to say. She just stared out of the window and played with the ribbon on her bouquet.

"You look very beautiful." Lucas said, breaking the silence. His deep voice tinged with his Italian accent that made it sound so smooth and musical to her ears.

"Thank you." Helen replied turning to him. "Anton was right he is a genius."

Lucas grinned. "He should be for the price he demands."

Helen felt the blood drain from her face. "Oh no was it a lot?" She asked horrified at the thought.

Lucas shrugged. "I would have to say it was worth it. It suits you, where did he get the shoes from though? Not exactly wedding attire."

Helen laughed. "They're mine. I guess he worked from them. Good job too as it's difficult to find shoes to fit me I'm an 8 to a 9 depending on the fit."

"You're joking! You have man size feet!"

"Just the words a woman wants to hear on her wedding day." Helen sighed as though he had said the most romantic thing ever.

Lucas laughed his eyes twinkling and Helen felt a weird jolt in her stomach as she saw his dimples.

"Thank you for doing this. I know it all seems very strange."

Helen blushed and shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It's the least I could do after what my sister had done."

"Are you ready?" He asked as they pulled to a stop outside a restaurant.

Helen took a deep breath and nodded as he helped her out. Again he kept his arm around her waist as they walked in to the reception. She stood next to him and shook hands with everyone and accepted their congratulations. Once everyone was sat, Lucas surprised her by taking her up onto the stage area rather than sitting down at the head table.

"I'm afraid to say that due to the delay in the wedding my wife and I will have to leave you to enjoy the reception without us as we have a plane to catch. Please feel free to enjoy yourselves as much as possible, especially the free bar. And we would like to thank you all for coming. "

And with that he walked off and out the front door taking Helen with him. They climbed back in the car again and the driver seemed to know where they were going and drove off without a word.

Helen huffed a big sigh and leaned her head back against the seat. "You owe me big for this." She said. "Actually no Hannah owes me big." She amended as she felt him freeze beside her. "I can't believe I actually did that." She unclipped her hair and ran her fingers through it.

Helen smiled at him as she took off her ring and handed it back to him. Lucas refused to take and just looked at her. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Giving you your ring back." She replied.

"Why?"

"Why? What do you mean why? It's not my ring we're not really married. Wait where are you going?" She asked as Lucas climbed out the car now it had stopped. Looking round she saw they were outside her house. "Oh." He opened the door for her as the driver retrieved her purse and clothes from the boot. "Thank you." She said taking them and again tried to give Lucas the ring back.

He just turned away and walked towards her front door.

"Lucas, please take the ring back." Helen insisted.

"No it's yours."

"No it's not."

"Trust me on this it's yours."

"No it's Hannah's or should've been."

"It would never have been hers. Now hurry up." He gestured to her front door with his head.

"Excuse me?"

"Hurry up, I wasn't lying we do have a plane to catch and you still need to pack."

"Erm what plane?"

"The plane that's taking us to Italy. I need to introduce you to my family and show you our home."

Helen stopped as she stepped through her door. "Our what?"

"Our home." Lucas replied as he gently pushed her through the rest of the way and closed the door behind them. "And will you put this back on." He took the ring and slid it back on her finger. "After all you are my wife."

"No I'm not. We didn't really get married."

"Yes we did."

Helen shook her head. "No. I may have said I do but the names said were yours and Hannah's and it was Hannah's name on the register and I signed my name so not legal not married."

"Actually it was your name on the register and in the vows."

"WHAT?" Helen shrieked. There was a thunk and a yelp that reminded her they were not alone and Tigger didn't like loud noises. "Oh my baby I'm so sorry." She cooed as she went in search of him in the kitchen.

As she suspected he was hiding in the pantry cowering in the corner. She knelt down in front of him and held her arms out. "I'm sorry baby, it's ok I just got a shock that's all. It's ok you can come out you're safe now." She continued in her soft voice.

"Who's this?" Lucas asked as he crouched next her looking at the mongrel dog shaking in the corner. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's Tigger and he scares easily. I got him from a shelter, the poor thing had been battered so badly he was terrified of everything weren't you my sweet thing? But I visited you everyday didn't I? And I sat with you until you realised I wouldn't hurt you." As she cooed Tigger crept forward on his belly until his head was in her lap and she stroked it gently feeling his tremors go away.

She was surprised when Lucas also stroked him, instead of running away Tigger leant into his hand and even gave it a couple of licks.

"Do you want some food? Do you baby? Ok let's get you something to eat while we go have a talk upstairs and we'll try to keep the shouting to a minimum."

After she had dished Tigger out some food and he was happily tucking into it she took Lucas upstairs. Once inside her room with the door closed she turned to him.

"Ok explain from the top again. What's this about it being a real wedding?"

Lucas sighed and sat on her bed. He glanced at his watch. "You know this would go a lot quicker if you packed as I explained."

Helen put her hands on her hips. "No. I'm not going anywhere. Now talk."

"Fine." Lucas took an envelope out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her.

Inside was a cheap plain ring and a set of photos. Photos that made her blush, photos of her sister in all sorts of positions with all sorts of men.

"They were taken over the past 5 weeks." Lucas explained. "Your sister had claimed she was pregnant with my child 2 months ago hence I proposed. I had my suspicions but, I don't know, something made me want to get married today. Once I found out about this it was too late to cancel everything without looking like a fool so I told everyone her name was Helen not Hannah so the wedding wouldn't be real, she would have that ring and afterwards I would show her these and tell her I never wanted to see her again. Turns out she also slept with the PI I hired and he told her my plan so she decided to try and embarrass me and she sent that letter with you and..."

"And you figured you'd actually marry me instead?"

Lucas shrugged.

"What are you on? Are you serious? I mean you're telling me we're really married? And you want me to pack and swan off with you to what? Live happily ever after? It doesn't happen that way."

"Look please, just come to Italy for a short while and be my wife for my family, would it be so bad?"

"I don't know because I don't know you. Besides I can't leave here I have commitments."

"I'll pay you £500,000 for a few months that's all I ask."

"I am not my sister! You can't buy me with any sum of money" Helen hissed at him livid he would suggest that.

"I'm sorry. But please come with me."

"Give me 1 good reason why I should."

"My nonna." Lucas replied looking at her earnestly, his violet eyes pleading with her and she could feel her resolve slipping. "She wants to see me happily married before she dies."

Helen sighed deeply and ran her hands through her hair. Lucas must have known he was winning as he stood up and took hold of her shoulders. "Please, all she wants to see is my smiling wife with her ring firmly on her finger." He lifted her left hand and Helen sighed again looking at the vintage silver ring with its 3 small diamonds glistening in the light.

Just then there was a whine outside the door and a slight scratching, Helen opened the door to let Tigger in and he padded to her side leaning against her leg. "What about Tigger?" she asked. "I won't leave him in a kennel."

"I won't expect you to, he'll come with us." Lucas replied. "I'm assuming he's had all his shots?"

"Yes, but the regulations must be more than..."

"Let me worry about that." Lucas said shutting her up with a quick kiss. "Now we've not got long so can you please get packing?"

"Fine." Helen huffed and dragged her suitcase from the bottom of her wardrobe. "What will I need to take and what's the baggage allowance?"

"As much as you'd like." Lucas replied lifting the suitcase onto her bed. "Ah good, you have more than one." He said when he saw she had a smaller case inside the big one. "You can fill them both. Come on come on." He hurried her and helped with taking clothes out of her wardrobe and passing her shoes to her.

Helen's head was in a whirl, what was she doing? Each time she paused to ask him a question he just hurried her along before she could say anything

"Underwear?" Lucas asked pointing to a drawer in her dresser.

"I think I can handle that myself." Helen said blushing furiously.

"While you do that. I've got a couple of calls to make." He said walking out. "Oh we need to leave in 10 minutes."

"What am I doing?" Helen muttered as she carried on packing stepping over Tigger as he kept close to her. "Why can't I learn to say no? It's not hard, it's a simple word, just one syllable but can I say it? No I can't and that's why I get myself into these things."

10 minutes later she had just finished closing her gym bag now full of Tigger's things when Lucas walked back in the room. Helen secretly hoped that when he saw the 3 bulging bags he would say it's too much so she wouldn't have to go.

"Is that it?" He asked at her nod he gestured to the bags and the driver collected them from the bed.

Tigger had stepped forward to greet Lucas but immediately hid behind Helen's legs at the sudden appearance of another stranger.

"He's not going to cope inside a baggage hold." She tried again to find an excuse not to go.

"And he won't have to." Lucas replied taking her hand and pulling her out of the room. "Now your passport and paperwork for Tigger please."

Helen got them from her desk in her study and handed them over to him. She also collected Tigger's lead as she clipped it to his collar he became even more stressed as usual he was torn between his doggy instinct of excitement for going out and his learnt fear of anything new. He bounced on the spot whining and mewling.

"You need to give him a minute." She said walking away from him and collecting her coat. "Unfortunately ignoring him and letting him make up his mind is the best thing even if it kills me to do so. If I make a fuss or force him it could make him worse."

Lucas looked at his watch and sighed, looked at Tigger pacing round in a circle then back at Helen. He sighed again and leaned against her wall. "I'm surprised they let him be re-homed in that condition."

"They almost didn't. In fact they were discussing about maybe the best thing would be to put him down."

"But you talked them out of it."

"Kind of. I annoyed them until they let me try and connect with him. They gave me a month to see if I could get any improvement out of him and he really pushed it, on the last day I was dragging my heels going to the shelter as I had fallen for him and I couldn't see him cowering in a corner again knowing he would be gone the next day. When I walked to his kennel I was as shocked as the staff to see him stood by the gate whining impatient for me to get there. He still stayed away from me for a while but it was enough and another month later they let him come home with me."

"And you named him Tigger?"

Helen nodded. "I wanted him to realise he could be confident and bouncy and full of fun with no regrets, no fears, nothing and Tigger encompasses all those traits. I'm confident one day he'll grow into his name."

Lucas chuckled. "Are you sure you'll want him bouncing around on his tail? It's bent so I doubt he'll be able to bounce straight."

Helen smiled at him and shrugged. "And what's wrong with him having a bent tail? Your idea of perfection isn't everybody's you know."

Lucas bowed his head to her. "You're correct. So was he perfect to you? Was that why you chose to save him?"

"I don't know what it was, I wasn't even looking for a dog I was just dropping off some food, we do a food run at our work every year for the shelter. I went to have a look at the dogs and when I stopped in front of his cage and he looked up at me and..." She shrugged.

Lucas smiled. "Ah I see love at first sight. Well he's a lucky dog to have you."

Helen blushed and looked away from his direct gaze. "Ah ready are we?" She asked looking down at Tigger stood in front of her facing towards the open door.

Once inside the car he clambered onto Helen's lap, which wasn't easy given his size. She normally wouldn't let him but due to everything that had happened and will happen she knew he needed the closeness to feel safe. Plus she didn't want to admit she also needed a bit of comforting.

"What happened to him?" Lucas asked stroking Tigger's head, which had ended up on his lap.

"They weren't sure. He was found chained up in a tiny room all bloody, beaten and starving."

Lucas smiled at her. "And your big soft heart went out to him, determined to protect him."

Helen blushed and shrugged. "Anyway he's improving he's so much better than he had been when I first got him home and he was getting a lot better every day."

"Was?"

"Well today is a bad day for him so we've gone back a few steps. But I can't blame him after all it's all new to him today and new is bad from his point of view. Plus he takes his cues from me and I'm out of sorts so he's out of sorts."

"And why are you out of sorts?"

"Well let me think, it couldn't be because I was talked into a fake wedding that turned out to be a real wedding and my husband has demanded I accompany him to Italy to prove to his family that we're a happy loving couple even though today is the most we've ever spoken to each other."

"I wouldn't say demanded." Lucas said grinning at her scratching between Tigger's ears. "More like..."

"Emotional blackmail?"

Lucas laughed. "How about coerced?"

"That's one way of putting it." Helen grumbled. "Now please explain how we're going to get Tigger into the cabin of a plane? Because unless you own it I can't see it happening."

Lucas didn't say anything he just looked at her.

"Oh." Helen said blushing, she had forgotten how rich he was.

"You forgot didn't you?" He asked looking at her incredulously. "You forgot about my money. Not many people do that."

Helen shrugged. "I guess it's because I'm a ditz."

"You're not a ditz, according to Hannah you are, as well as being naive and have rose tinted glasses on. But I think you just see everyone as being like you until proved differently and I find that quite refreshing."

"And what does being like me mean?"

Lucas looked at her for a long time not saying anything, before he looked back down to Tigger who had his eyes closed and was huffing a big contented sigh. Helen wished she could relax just as easily when this close to Lucas.

"You're kind, sweet, generous." Lucas answered her looking back up. "You have a big heart, you're trusting, you give people the benefit of the doubt, you don't make snap judgements and you appear to be more concerned with helping other people than what you could get out of anything."

Helen blushed and coughed to hide her embarrassment. "You'll give me a big head." She quipped. "Wait til you get to know me better, you'll soon change your tune."

"Really? To what?"

"Oh I reckon you'll soon be saying I'm argumentative, difficult, stubborn, a bit of a dreamer, always asking stupid questions, I could go on but I'm sure you'll have also added boring to the list."

"Don't be so daft." Lucas said quietly. "Now does fur face bite when he gets too scared?"

"Fur face? And no, well he hasn't so far."

Lucas nodded. "Good because I'd hate to muzzle him. Sorry boy but I think I'm going to have to carry you." He said to Tigger as the car stopped.

Helen followed as he carried Tigger into a vet's waiting room. They were waved directly through to the back where a charming young vet examined him on a table and went through his paperwork.

"Oh you poor boy." She said stroking him as she worked. Tigger just lay with his eyes closed shaking under her gentle hands. "You've been through a lot haven't you? But you obviously have a mummy and daddy who takes care of you. You are a handsome boy aren't you? Yes you are, look at you with your collie colouring and your Labrador face and if I'm not mistaken a bit of husky is also in the mix."

She smiled at Helen. "I just need to give him a couple of shots before we can complete his paperwork and you're free to enjoy your honeymoon." She said doing just that. "This last one will help him relax more on the flight, kind of a doggy valium. We don't normally like giving them this but it's a low dose, plus it'll be a short flight and your husband explained he'll be with you at all times and not in a travel case so that's good."

She finished with the injections and cooed about how good he was and gave him a couple of treats which brought him out of his shell a bit more. Afterwards she went to get his paperwork stamped. Lucas also went out of the room to settle the bill. Helen used that time to call Sam.

"Hello my darling! How's that fake honeymoon going with your fake husband?" She asked without even bothering to say hello.

"That's the thing Sam. Apparently it wasn't fake."

"What?" Sam laughed.

"It was supposed to be fake for Hannah so they used my name for everything. So apparently I'm legally married to him."

Sam giggled loudly. "Oh this is good. All those years of Hannah stealing your boyfriends, you go one better and steal a rich husband off her!"

"Sam it's not funny I'm serious! What the Hell am I going to do?"

"I'm sorry." Sam said still giggling. "But it is very funny!"

Helen sighed. "How much champagne have you had?"

"I may have had a few glasses."

"How many is a few?"

"Um...eight?"

"You are going to regret that tomorrow." Champagne always made Sam an incredibly happy drunk and hideously ill the next day.

"I plan to die on your couch as you ply me with tea and sympathy."

"One slight problem. I won't be there."

"Why? How rude! Where will you be?"

"Italy. My husband is taking me to his home to meet his family."

Sam laughed loudly. "That's brilliant! Good luck, I hope they like you. It's a secure marriage if the family likes the bride. I wish you health and happiness and lots of fat Italian babies that I'll just have to come over to you in the sun to visit and spoil rotten!" And she hung up.

Helen huffed in frustration, she needed someone to give her the right excuse to get out of all of this. She looked down at Tigger and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Lucas asked when he came back in.

"I think my dog is stoned." She said pointing to Tigger who was now on his back with his legs in the air, a dopey doggy grin on his face.

Lucas laughed and rubbed his belly and Tigger grumbled in appreciation. "Well we just need the paperwork and hopefully the captain can get us a new slot soon."

Helen looked at him questioningly.

"We had a slot to takeoff in 10 minutes but we're going to miss that because of fur face here. I called to let him know we'll be there in about half an hour so hopefully he'll get a new one so we won't be waiting around too long and Tigger comes down from his high."

"Sorry." Helen apologised.

"Don't worry about it. After all nothing is too good for our baby." He said nudging her gently his eyes twinkling with amusement.

.....................

The pilot had gotten a new slot and within 15 minutes of arriving at the airport they had taken off. Tigger had been scared at first, but thanks to the shot he soon calmed down and got used to it. He curled up on one of the big chairs and was soon snoring softly.

Helen leaned her head back against the back of her chair and closed her eyes trying to quiet her frantic mind. Suddenly her eyes popped wide open.

"Oh crap! Work!" She gasped. "I should be there on Monday. Oh no Steve's going to kill me!"

"Don't worry about it. Judy has already contacted them and given them your resignation."

"She did what?"

Lucas leaned his head back and closed his eyes shrugging. "What's wrong? I mean you hate working there and besides who knows how long we'll be in Italy."

"What? Wait how do you know I hate working there. Did Hannah tell you that?"

Lucas shook his head. "She barely talked about anything other than herself. And you don't have to worry about your house either, I've organised for your mortgage to be paid off so you won't lose your parents house. Don't worry we can fly back for your mother's birthday so we can visit their grave."

"How do you know all that about me?" Helen whispered a cold feeling going through her.

Lucas opened his eyes and looked at her. "Well when I first proposed to Hannah I had the PI look into her family after all I needed to know what I was going to be marrying into." He leant forward at Helen's silence. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm kind of annoyed at the gross invasion of my privacy." Helen said carefully. "But then I can also see it from your point of view, you knew nothing about us. But to quit my job on my behalf? That's taking liberties."

"Did you or did you not hate it?"

"Yes I hate it, but it's still not your decision." Helen stood up and paced, she needed to move when she got angry. "You can't take over my life like that. Ok I admit I was only working there so I could keep Mum and Dad's house but what if I wasn't? What if I loved working there? I bet you didn't even think of that. And you paid off the mortgage? It's....it's too much. Fuck." She said rubbing her hand over her face.

Lucas's face clouded. "And that will be the last time you use that kind of language." He said darkly.

"Excuse me?" Helen whirled on him. "Firstly you tell me where I can and can't work, now you're telling me how to speak? What's next? How to dress and what to eat? Maybe you'd like me to go on an extreme diet, dye my hair blonde and get plastic surgery to make these bigger." She cupped her breasts angrily. "Maybe then you'll have your perfect trophy wife! If you think I'm going to stand by meekly and let you control everything about me you've got another think coming!" She snorted. "Not even married for a day and already you're a control freak? No thanks pal! I don't give a flying FUCK who I'm doing this for as soon as this plane lands you're going to get them turn it round and take me back home!" She yelled at him pulling the ring off her finger and throwing at him.

She spun away from him as her eyes had filled up with tears of frustration, all the events of the day had just piled up on her making her snap. Already she regretted her yelled words, even more when she saw she had woken Tigger up.

"I'm sorry baby." She cooed crouching down to stroke him. "The stupid, idiot man upset me that's all, you can go back to sleep now." She said softly. "It's nothing for you to worry about, we'll be home before you know it."

"How about the stupid, idiot man apologises. Would that make things better?" Lucas said quietly behind her. "Would that make you stay?"

Helen stood up and turned round to look at him. He did look sorry.

"I am sorry, I don't mean to be controlling. I just thought that was best, for that I apologise." He held out the ring to her.

Helen looked into his soft eyes and sighed. Taking the ring and putting it back on. "Fine." She huffed.

"And for the record I like you just the way you are, I wouldn't want to change you. I just don't like bad language and neither does my family." He said sitting back down.

Helen smiled wryly. "Neither do I, I very rarely use that word. I guess everything kind of caught up with me. I'm sorry."

Helen walked past him to her seat but he caught her arm and pulled her onto his lap.

"What're you doing?" She squeaked trying to get up but Lucas just tightened his hold over her.

"Apologising." He murmured before pressing his lips to hers.

Helen was so shocked she didn't move. He pressed soft kisses across her cheek to her ear. "That's not going to convince Sophia." He whispered in her ear.

"What?" She whispered back.

"Sophia, the stewardess? She's friends with Carmela, Nonna's maid and I know she's going to tell her we're already fighting and if we don't make up properly Nonna won't be happy." He kissed her again, this time his tongue pushed her lips open and entered her mouth.

As before it was as if Helen's body wasn't her own, her mouth opened under his as her arms lifted and wrapped around his neck. She kissed him back her tongue duelling with his. His hands moved, one cupped the back of her head holding it in place - Helen loved having her head held as she was being kissed. His other hand moved over her waist and cupped her breast. She gasped into his mouth as it slipped under the bodice of her dress and his thumb ran over her nipple.

He moved his kisses down over her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin there as his hand moved to her leg and started to slide up it, under her skirt. Helen knew she must do or say something to stop him, but when he claimed her mouth again she couldn't.

A warm tongue licking her ear caused her to jerk away laughing. "EW! Tigger!" She moaned pushing him away.

Lucas laughed still not letting her go. "Guess he's feeling better." He said looking at the dog sat panting and grinning at them.

"Guess so. I've never seen him trust anyone so quickly before. I don't get it." She said looking up at Lucas. "Are you going to let me up now?"

"Not a chance." Lucas replied grinning down at her. "I've always had a way with animals. Madre thought I would be a vet but I wasn't good at science, so instead I've settled for 2 very independent cats and some horses. Do you ride?"

Helen shook her head. "I've never even seen a horse close up."

"We'll change that, soon you'll be galloping through the Italian countryside. Um, if that's what you want." He quickly added looking down at her.

Helen giggled. "So long as I don't break anything, I'm wary of anything I can't control with a steering wheel or brake pedal."

Lucas chuckled. "I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly. Now back to my apology." He said as he looked at her intently, he leaned down to kiss her again and his hand that was just above her knee started to slid up again. Before he could get too far an amused cough interrupted them.

"Excuse me signore but we will be landing shortly, the captain requests you fasten your seatbelts." Sophia said smiling at Helen's blushes.

Lucas rather reluctantly let Helen stand up and return to her own seat. He patted the seat between them and Tigger jumped up onto it and allowed Lucas to strap the belt around him. With both Lucas and Helen stroking him, he managed to get through the landing with only the slightest flinch when the wheels touched down.

Lucas had gone very quiet, which was a good thing for Helen as she didn't want to talk about what had happened, all the way through passport control and in the car as they sped through the Italian countryside she tried to make sense of what happened. Lucas had obviously been putting on a show for Sophia, but did he have to go that far? Or was he testing her to see just how far she would go? To see if she was like her sister? She wasn't, she would never sleep with a stranger so why did all her morals fly out of her mind when he touched her?

As Helen glanced towards him he was playing with that silver coin of his, she had seen him do that on several occasions, the first when she had first met him and Hannah had announced their engagement, as she had gone on about how fate had thrown them together and they were soul mates Helen had seen him out of the corner of her eye twisting it around in his fingers and he hadn't looked too happy, the last time had been when his brother had suggested Helen go through with the wedding in Hannah's place. He had twisted the coin for a good couple of minutes before nodding. She wondered what it was, maybe it was a lucky charm?

Her wondering was interrupted when the car pulled into a drive, a long drive, a loooooong drive. "Wow" Helen breathed.

Lucas chuckled. "Yeah it is kind of big isn't it. Over there that's our vineyard and over there are the stables and the track for the racehorses."

"Racehorses? You said you had horses I thought you meant horses that everyday people ride."

"We do, over there." He pointed.

Helen leaned her head back and closed her eyes breathing deeply.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked actually sounding concerned.

"I'm trying not to have a panic attack." She explained.

"Whatever for?"

"Oh I don't know, the fact that you're wanting me to play the happy wife when I've only just really met you and you want me to show your family we're good together. How can I do that when I obviously don't fit in with all this." She said waving her hand towards the extensive grounds.

"And what makes you think you won't fit in?" Lucas said chuckling softly.

Helen opened her eyes and looked at him. "Well look at me. Hannah would fit in here, she's slim and gorgeous and glamorous. Me? I'm fat and different, you see how madcap this dress is? How it's a dozen different things all thrown together? Well I love it as it pretty much defines me. I'm not going to fit in with your family's idea of a perfect wife."

Lucas chuckled and took her hand rubbing it between his. "Firstly you're not fat, your sister was far too skinny. In fact I bet Nonna and quite possibly Madre will comment how you could do with fattening up a bit. Secondly, if I'd wanted a trophy wife I would've gotten married years ago. You'll be fine, look we may be old money but my family want me to be happy and if quirky old you makes me happy then they'll be happy."

Helen scowled. "Old? I'm not that old. I'm younger than you."

Lucas laughed and kissed her softly on her cheek. "I know you are a sweet innocent young, practically jailbait 31 year old."

Helen smiled at his efforts to make her feel better. "That's better." She said. "So long as you know you're the old man here."

Lucas threw back his head and laughed. "I get the impression you'll be reminding me constantly."

"Only when you annoy me, so yeah constantly going from this afternoon." Helen replied and winked at him.

The car finally pulled up and Helen's door was opened by a distinguished gentleman. "It is a pleasure to meet you Signor Vacilli." He said in Italian.

"Thank you Marco." Lucas said in English as he climbed out. "Please leave the door, Tigger needs to decide if he's joining us."

Marco simply raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Certainly sir." He replied in English leaving the door open. "A pleasure to meet you Signor Vacilli." He said bowing to Helen.

"Th-thank you." Helen stuttered as nervous as Tigger and she wished she was with him cowering in the car.

"Ah Lucas you've finally returned to us. Was she right? Please tell me she was right." A woman said in Italian walking up to Lucas and hugging him.

A strong looking old woman was speaking rapidly in Italian rather sharply as she walked up behind the first woman, Helen only picked up a few words here and there. Something about the truth and a lying whore but she wasn't sure. "And don't think I didn't hear about your argument." Helen managed to decipher at the end as she stood there with her hands on her hips glaring at Helen.

"Possibly right, Nonna she had a sister otherwise there would have been no wedding. Plus the argument was my fault and didn't you hear we also made up?" Lucas replied in Italian before switching to English. "Madre, Nonna. I'd like to introduce you to my wife Helen."

That hale and hearty woman was his Nonna? He had made it sound as though she was on her last legs and from the looks of her Helen had more chance of dying first. Restraining from glaring at Lucas Helen smiled back at the women who were giving her the once over.

"Hmm not bad, could do with a bit more meat on her bones though to be a true Italian wife." His Nonna said in Italian making Lucas cough back a laugh. "We'll see if she was right."

"That's true, she's not too skinny could do with more curves. I hope she's not like what we've heard about her sister." His Madre replied in Italian to her before turning and smiling at Helen. "It's wonderful to meet you my dear." She said in English shaking Helen's hand.

"Lucas has spoken of you, it's a pleasure to meet you." Helen said in Italian, she had the satisfaction of seeing Lucas's jaw drop as he looked at her and his Madre blushed slightly and smiled sheepishly.

His Nonna clapped her hands and laughed. "Oh I like her! You didn't tell him you could speak Italian from the look on his face, good for you keep him on his toes." And she was swept up in a hug.

"Well he never asked, he just presumed. But I'm not fluent or anything, I just started learning. So there's still a lot I don't understand, especially if you speak too quickly." Helen replied. She turned to the anxious whine from the car, Tigger had stuck his head out the car and saw there were too many people and Helen was too far away.

"I'll get him." Lucas said.

Helen stopped him with a hand on his arm and sighed. "No. I think I've pampered him enough today, he needs to learn. Well?" She called in English to Tigger. "Are you coming? Or staying by yourself?" She turned to Lucas. "Can we go in? It might prompt him to move."

Lucas nodded and gestured for them to go in, as they walked Lucas spoke in quick Italian to his family, Helen picked up words here and there and she understood he was explaining Tigger to them. She was about to turn round and go back for him when she felt him press up against her leg.

She smiled down at him and patted his head. "See not so bad after all." She said.

"Is that to him or you?" Lucas whispered in her ear slipping an arm around her waist. "So when did you learn Italian?"

Helen glanced at the two women walking in front of them. "When you were first engaged I thought it would be nice for her to learn it so I went with her to lessons." She whispered to him.

"Hannah learnt Italian?" Lucas looked at her unbelievingly.

"Well she went to a couple of classes and picked up a couple of words." She grimaced at him. "And a couple of other things."

"Men?" He murmured in her ear, looking as though he was doing what any new husband was, whispering sweet nothings in his wife's ear.

Helen blushed and nodded. "The second, third and fourth pictures. Sorry."

"Don't apologise." Lucas said straightening up. "It was a wonderfully sweet idea and the fact that you continued means a lot. Come on we'd better follow them or we'll be dragged in."

"Oh yes I'd hate for your Nonna to collapse before we got there." Helen said dryly. "You said she was ill!" She hissed at him.

"No I didn't you just assumed." Lucas replied smugly, earning him a glare. But he just shrugged and pulled her after the women.

"Tell you what, you've had a hectic day. Why don't the two of you go get freshened up and be down in the garden in an hour or so for dinner and you can tell all of us how you met." His Madre said as they entered the palatial house.

"You have a beautiful home Signor Vacilli." Helen said looking round in amazement.

"Oh no, no my dear you must call me Madre now. After all you are now my daughter."

"But..." Helen started to say.

"But nothing. And I'm also your Nonna. Now no arguing on this we insist. You are now family whether you like it or not. And this is your home now." Nonna said in a tone that brooked no arguments.

Lucas chuckled. "I wouldn't argue with them, they can be very scary. Come on, I think we should get Tigger settled somewhere nice and quiet so he can relax."

Helen followed him up the stairs and down a long corridor to a large room. Helen's bags were on the king size bed that looked small in the room. She pulled Tigger's blanket out of the gym bag and his prize teddy bear, throwing the latter to him which he caught easily and stood holding it in his mouth watching her.

"Now where can we put you sweetie?" She murmured to herself.

"Where would he prefer?" Lucas asked shrugging out of his jacket and taking his bow tie off. "Oh. Ok I think he's found his spot." He said as he opened a door and Tigger padded inside.

"What's in there?" Helen asked walking over.

"My closet." Lucas replied. "Here." He said taking the blanket from her and following Tigger inside.

He placed the blanket near the door and after looking at it for a moment Tigger dropped his teddy bear, grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it further in under a rail of jackets that Lucas had just hung his up on.

"Wow this is huge." Helen said. "And I thought I had a lot of clothes."

"Don't worry yours is the same size." Lucas replied grinning at her. "I think he's happy now." He said nodding to Tigger who had retrieved his teddy and was now curled up on his blanket.

"Is he alright being in here?" Helen asked worriedly.

He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "It's perfectly fine or I wouldn't have let him. Now would you like a shower before dinner?"

Helen nodded. "Sounds good."

Lucas showed her the on suite and how to work the rather complicated looking shower. She blushed when she suddenly realised she would need his help getting out of her dress.

"Would you mind?" She asked turning round after removing the blue scarf from around her chest and waist.

Lucas chuckled and lifted the attached shawl to find the tied ribbon between her shoulder blades. He not only undid it but he also pulled it free all the way down past her hips, his fingers brushing against her skin as he worked, Helen's breath caught as she held onto the bodice to keep it covering her as she felt the goosebumps raising on her back under his touch.

"What's this?" He asked his fingers brushing across the skin at the base of her spine.

"Erm....that would be my tattoo." She said smiling over her shoulder at him. "Are you completely disproving?"

Lucas' eyes never left her back as he ran his fingers over it again. He shook his head. "No. I like it. Are they wings?"

Helen nodded turning round to stop him from touching her so she could concentrate. "Yes angel wings." She shrugged. "I have a thing for angels."

Lucas smiled at her. "I can't say I'm surprised. Now I suggest we hurry up or Madre will be moaning at me."

"Don't you mean us?"

"No. Whatever happens she'll blame me."

Helen laughed and entered the bathroom. After she was done and had dried her hair, Lucas showered while she dressed. She was surprised to discover that during her shower her clothes had been put away in a closet just as big as Lucas' and her makeup had been put on the dresser as though she had always lived here.

She quickly dressed in a pair of beige flowing linen trousers and a caramel coloured baggy top, all the time conscious of Lucas just next door.

She scrutinised herself in the full length mirror and scowled at her reflection. She may look perfect for a quiet evening meal with a rich Italian family but she looked nothing like herself. So she wrapped a vibrant blue and gold square scarf round her waist with the corner hanging down over her right hip almost like a little sarong and she layered another scarf, this one red and gold over it. She clipped a section of her hair away from her face with a big red poppy, she wrapped her mother's double strand pearl necklace around her wrist as a bracelet but left her neck bare, and red and white spotted high heels completed the outfit.

She added bright red lipstick to her otherwise natural looking makeup and smiled at her reflection. She might not fit in now, but she felt more like herself. She wandered out onto the balcony to wait for Lucas, for the first time that day she had a moment to herself and the full implications of what she had done was just hitting her.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Lucas said moving up to stand next to her.

Helen bit her lip and nodded, looking at the view properly.

"What's wrong?" He asked leaning back against the balcony so he could face her.

"I..." Helen looked down at her fingers twisting nervously together. "I can't get my head around it all." She admitted. "I mean what am I doing here? What will happen when I go back? How long will I be here? What about my home? My work? What...?"

Lucas stopped her by putting his hand over her mouth smiling gently. "You're here helping me out because of the nice generous person you are. Don't worry about anything else, things have a way of working themselves out. Just for now treat this as an overdue holiday and your only concern should be whether you have enough sun cream on."

"But..."

"Ah, ah, ah no buts. Remember your vows to obey me? You agreed to them several hours ago so now you must obey me."

Helen raised her eyebrows. "Obey? I don't think so."

"Oh yes." Lucas said his eyes twinkling as he reached out and pulled her to him. "Didn't you hear the priest?"

"I heard a ton of Latin." Helen said trying to ignore the thundering of her heart. "And if I'd heard obey I would've run for the hills."

"You wound me, dear wife and on our wedding day as well." He replied melodramatically, but not stopping the smile spreading across his face.

Helen laughed and wriggled out of his grip. She couldn't think when he was that close, all she had wanted to do was lean in and kiss him.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." Lucas called in Italian as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist pressing a kiss to her neck. "Did I mention you look perfect?"

"You don't have to say that. I'm not my sister I don't need false compliments all the time."

Lucas turned her round to face him. "I know you're not her and it's not a false compliment. You do look good. I figured you needed telling after that worried look you gave yourself in the mirror."

Helen was speechless, she never thought he could be so thoughtful, just then the door was opened by a pretty maid.

"Good evening Signore, Signor. This is for the little one." She said holding a tray with 2 bowls on it. A mouth-watering smell coming from one of the bowls.

"He's hiding in there." Lucas said nodding towards the closet. "A good job you weren't here earlier Isabella otherwise you would've heard my lovely young wife here refusing to obey me, even though it was in our vows."

Isabella laughed prettily. "Did she really vow to obey you?"

"Yes." Lucas replied.

"It was in Latin and I had no idea what he was saying." Helen said turning to face her.

Isabella tutted. "Now that wasn't very fair was it Signore?"

Lucas grinned unabashed at her and rested his chin on Helen's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I don't think that counts but I could ask Nonna Rosa what she thinks." Isabella continued her brown eyes twinkling.

Both Isabella and Helen laughed when Lucas straightened up and quickly exclaimed "No!"

"You had better get downstairs Nonna Rosa is already impatient. Do not worry about the little one Signor, I will take good care of him, his poor past has been explained to me." Isabella said to Helen before curtsying and pushing open the closed door.

As Lucas led her out of the room she could hear the maid cooing over Tigger softly.

"That was his food?" Helen asked. "Wow." She said to Lucas' nod. "That smelt gorgeous, why do I get the impression he's going to be one spoilt dog here."

Lucas laughed. "Probably because it's true. Nonna adores dogs, she hasn't gotten round to replacing hers since he passed away 3 months ago so I think Tigger will be incredibly spoilt."

"Lucas." A sharp voice interrupted their laughter. "Come in here."

Lucas stepped into the room they were passing, Helen hovered at the door not sure if she too should enter or carry on to the garden. The woman who spoke was incredibly attractive and was looking very angrily at Lucas.

"Just so you know I won't be down at dinner. I refuse to sit with that whore!" Helen picked up before she erupted into a quick succession of angry sounding Italian far too quick for Helen to keep track of. Lucas simply stood there patiently waiting for her to finish.

"Are you done?" He asked when she paused.

"No." She said. "And if you insist on going through with this farce, I'll show Nonna the pictures to prove it's not just me making this up!" And she threw the photographs on the table in front of her.

Lucas turned and held his hand out to Helen gesturing for her to come in. "Rosa, meet my wife Helen. Helen this is my baby sister Rosa." He wrapped his arm around her waist and smiled at his sister as she spluttered.

"What? She's not? Who?"

Lucas laughed. "Serves you right for sticking your nose into my business."

"So who is that?" She asked pointing to the pictures.

Helen glanced down. "That would be my sister." She said smiling at Rosa. "And don't be so mean to your sister she's just looking out for you." She said nudging Lucas.

"I like her." Rosa said nodding. "And she knows Italian, I'm impressed. Not your usual bimbo." And she walked out the room. "Are you coming to dinner then?" She said turning back to them.

Helen turned and raised her eyebrows at Lucas. "Usual bimbos?"

Lucas grinned sheepishly and pulled her after his sister. "I will not deny I went through a stage where looks were more important than what they were like."

"And now?"

"And now I'm lucky enough to have a wife that is blessed with intelligence, wit, attitude and is beautiful."

Helen laughed. "You are such a creep. I thought you only had 2 brothers, is there any other family you're hiding away?"

"Well Rosa is the youngest and the only girl, she's 21 so yes she gets spoilt rotten by her brothers. Next is Stephano, he is 28, then there's Nicolas he's 32, then Angelo 35 and finally me."

"Wow big family."

Lucas shrugged. "We're Italian." He said as though that was an answer. The dinner table on the patio was huge and covered with food. Lucas' sister, Madre, Nonna and his brother Stephano were all there. As they all ate Lucas told his family how he had originally been seeing Hannah and how she had told him to pick her up from Helen's house but then stood him up on several dates which meant he got to know Helen and realised she was the one for him.

Helen was glad he came up with that story as she would've been stuck if anyone had asked her how they met.

"I love your outfit Helen." Rosa said. "Who is the designer?"

"Um, part high street, part charity shop, part inheritance and put together by myself." She replied feeling a bit self conscious.

"It's fantastic, that's brilliant!" Rosa said. "And there you have all those idiots around here that pay a fortune for things that don't look half as good as this. You'll have to help me with my outfits."

They all laughed and talked and Helen even learnt a few more Italian words and was given pronunciation tips. Before too long night fell and Helen struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Come on I think we're going to head up to bed now." Lucas said getting up and stretching. "We've had a long day."

He kept his arm around Helen's waist as they walked back to their room. "I think that went well, they like you." He said quietly.

"I like them as well." Helen said yawning. "Oh I need to take Tigger out." She said.

"That's already been done Signor." Isabella said coming out of their room. "The little one was taken out for a walk once he knew I was a friend. He won't be so frightened tomorrow now he knows the area, he is now sleeping so I will bid you goodnight Signore, Signor." She curtsied and walked past them.

"Thank you Isabella." Helen said. Then she squeaked in surprise when Lucas suddenly scooped her up in his arms. "What're you doing? You can't carry me!"

"Yes I can." He said doing just that. "And it's tradition to carry you over the threshold." And he carried her into their room and placed her on the bed.

Helen rolled her eyes and got up to walk to her closet.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lucas said catching her arm and pulling her back to him.

"To get into my pyjamas." Helen said. Trying to concentrate as he pulled her in tight to him with a hand at the small of her back. "Um, who's going to sleep on the couch?" She asked nervously as he brushed his lips across her cheek.

"No one." He murmured against her skin. "This is my wedding night. I expect to share it with my wife."

Helen pushed him back. "Excuse me? So first you force me to come here and now you're forcing to have sex with you?"

Lucas shook his head and stroked her cheek gently. "I swear I will never force you. You can tell me to stop whenever you want me to." He leaned in and kissed her before she could say anything.

As before the way he moved his tongue in her mouth seemed to take over her senses and her highly held morals that should be screaming out ‘stop I don't even know you' just upped and left at the first brush of his tongue. His hands moved and undid the knots to her scarves dropping them to the floor, before they slid her top up and off.

When his lips left hers that was a perfect chance for her to tell him to stop, but all she could do was gasp as his lips fastened around her nipple through her bra. Her hands moved of their own accord and gripped his hair pulling him closer. Somehow her bra disappeared along with Lucas' shirt and she found her hands running over his firm chest. His mouth moved back to hers and kissed her deeply, his tongue duelling with hers and he pushed her trousers past her hips, his fingers dipping between her legs and running along her wet slit over her knickers making her moan into his mouth.

He lifted his head and chuckled as he swept her up in his arms and lay her gently on the bed. Holding himself above her he pressed his lips to her neck and nipped gently at her skin before moving down to worship at her breasts. Helen closed her eyes and arched her back when Lucas bit down on her nipple, his thumb and finger mimicking the actions of his teeth on her other breast. He moved his lips lower licking and kissing her skin over the rise of her stomach until he reached her knickers.

He pulled them down and off in one swift movement, startling her. In that moment she realised what she was doing and she blushed so red and went to stop him. Before she could say anything Lucas' head was between her legs and his tongue had sought out her clit and all cognitive thought left her and instead she just concentrated on the sensations he was causing in her as he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked it into his mouth.

In stark contrast to the rough way he had treated her breasts he was so gentle, almost revering, on her clit. He rolled his tongue around it making her cry out and push her hips up.

His hands cupped her ass holding her in place as he continued his assault on her pussy and clit. He changed his technique just before she came, lapping his tongue in one long slow sweep from her entrance all the way up to her clit, just brushing it lightly with the tip of his tongue. He repeated this teasing several times, each time his tongue delved deeper into her hole and lingered longer on her clit until Helen groaned in frustration as being so close to release.

Lucas chuckled softly at the sound and sucked her clit back into his mouth and grazed the sides with his teeth while flicking the top with his tongue. Helen thought she may have screamed as she came hard without any warning.

As she tried to gather her frazzled senses she was dimly aware of Lucas standing up and stripping away the rest of his clothes. She swallowed when she saw his gorgeous cock standing there looking so hard.

He covered her body with his again and kissed her long and hard, Helen could taste her own juices on his lips and tongue but she didn't care. As he moved between her legs, she froze with the realisation of what was going to happen.

"Do you want me to stop?" Lucas asked as he nibbled on her neck and flexed his hips so his cock head butted against her clit. "Well?" He asked doing it again.

"No." Helen gasped wrapping her arms and legs around him and pulling him in for a kiss. She didn't want him to stop, she didn't care what happened or that they hardly knew each other she just wanted the pleasure to go on and on.

Without breaking the kiss Lucas positioned himself at her opening and thrust inside her in one sharp movement.

Helen cried out in and shock. She knew it might hurt, but she had no idea it would hurt so much! Her face burned with embarrassment as Lucas looked down at her with an astonished look on his face. He stayed like that for a long while before he leant down and kissed her gently.

"Thank you." He whispered against her lips, he slowly pulled out and just as slowly pushed back in again making her groan with the sensation. "Thank you so much." He said again.

He lifted himself up on his elbows and watched her as she writhed under him as he thrust into her again and again starting off slow and steady but getting harder and faster with each thrust. She was rising to meet his thrusts and she came again biting his shoulder to stop from screaming.

If anything this spurred Lucas on and he was pounding into so hard and fast her next orgasm came crashing down before her last one had finished, just when she thought she could take no more pleasure, Lucas closed his eyes and gritted his teeth groaning as he pumped his seed inside her before collapsing on top of her before rolling taking her with him, so his softening cock was still inside her and she was laid across his chest, the pair of them breathing hard and just too satiated and exhausted to even speak.

After a while Lucas was trailing his fingertips up and down her back when he finally spoke. "I didn't force you did I?" He asked quietly.

Helen shook her head against his chest.

She felt him kiss the top of her head and heave a big sigh. "That was a wonderful gift and I thank you for sharing that with me." He said. "In this day and age it is a rarity, can I ask why you waited? Did you want to wait until your wedding night?"

Helen chuckled and shook her head. "My sister." She replied, her voice muffled by his chest.

She felt him lift his head to look down at her. "Your sister?" He asked. "What does she have to do with it?"

Helen sighed and snuggled in closer to him, smiling as he tightened his arms around her, never before had she felt so safe and secure. "Well as I'm sure I may have mentioned I'm not her."

Lucas chuckled. "I may have heard you say that before."

"So I don't sleep with every Tom, Dick and Harry that looks my way. So when you look like me there's not much to choose from in the first place, add into the mix the fact that you have to wait with me PLUS my sister who looks the way she does and the fact that her legs are hardly ever closed. This all adds up to the fact that I've never had a man hang around long enough."

"Their loss is most certainly my gain." Lucas said. "And stop putting yourself down, I keep telling you how beautiful you are when are you going to believe me?"

Helen laughed. "Beautiful? Next to my sister? Yeah right!" She lifted her head and smiled up at him. "It's ok I know I'm a fugly and I don't care. I like who I am."

Lucas scowled at her. "You...are...not...fugly." He said slowly stressing each word. "And you are a Hell of a lot more beautiful than your sister. What you have inside you completely outshines her."

Helene giggled. "You don't have to say that and besides don't I have you inside me?" She said playfully, then gasped as his cock twitched inside her. "What was that?" She asked.

Lucas grinned at her. "I can't help it my beautiful wife is talking dirty to me." He said.

Helen pushed herself up so she was sitting upright moaning softly as his cock continued to harden inside her. "How was that talking dirty?" She asked.

"Well it was more of the images it provoked." Lucas said one hand cupping her breast teasing and pulling her nipple as his other slipped into her wet furrow and played with her clit.

Helen's head fell back as her eyes closed at the bursts of pleasure he was sending through her body, she moved experimentally rising up and falling back down but grinding herself in a slow circle as she did and she was rewarded with his groan. So she did it again and again, each time she did she lifted herself even higher until only his tip remained inside her before dropping back down to engulf him fully.

He took hold of her hips and starting pumping up into her increasing her pace and she couldn't think as she felt her orgasm approaching, she arched her back and leant back her hands on his hips, at that angle his cock nudged against her g spot and she exploded as he thrust up hard into her and with a shout he came as well.

Helen collapsed on his chest her eyes drifting closed, as she slipped away she thought she heard Lucas mumble sleepily.

"I hope she was right."

.........................................

It had been a week since her not-so-fake wedding and Helen found she was enjoying married life. Lucas was kind and attentive as he showed her round his home, she had teased him about being 37 and still living at home with his Madre and Nonna when she found out they each had their own small houses in the grounds.

She discovered he was very family oriented, his sister had her own wing of the main house and his brothers still had rooms there as well for when they were back in Italy. He was also a very patient and talented teacher, he had started teaching her how to ride on a beautiful and very peaceful mare. He was also teaching her about sex every night and she was more than a willing student on that part.

She watched him as he talked with Alex, the man who ran his winery, she smiled as she remembered how he had taught her the best way he liked her to suck his cock. Not only had she managed to pick it up quickly and reduce him to the state he normally had her in, but she also found she loved doing it.

Lucas glanced up at her and their eyes met and she couldn't stop the light blush that coloured her cheeks, as usual it was like he could look into her head and know what she was thinking. He turned back to Alex and suggested he go over some paperwork in the office while he showed Helen the numerous barrels of wine they had. He took her hand and pulled her along walking quite quickly, causing her to jog slightly to keep up with him, he glanced behind him and when he was sure Alex couldn't see them he started to run pulling Helen after him.

They ran round a few corners until he pressed her into a dark alcove up against the wall and kissed her hungrily.

"Damn you woman." He growled against her lips lifting her skirt and pushing her knickers aside to plunge his fingers into her wet warm depths, his thumb rubbing her clit. "When you look at me that way I can't control myself. Oh God you're always so wet for me."

Helen moaned at the loss of his hand when he pulled back, but he didn't leave her wanting for long. He released himself from his jeans with one hand and pushed her knickers down with his other.

Helen helped by wriggling her hips as her hands were busy stroking his hard cock. Lucas pulled her long gypsy style skirt up and lifted her pressing her back against the wall as he impaled her on his cock. She wrapped her legs around him gasping and moaning as he fucked her vigorously, when he was like this there was little else for her to do other than hang on and enjoy the ride.

He was an ingenious lover, it was always different .One moment he could be soft and gentle bringing her to a sweet and soothing release again and again and the next he could be purely animalistic in the way he fucked her. But no matter what he did he always ensured she climaxed at least once if not twice before he allowed himself his release.

Even now she could see him gritting his teeth in an effort to hold back long enough for her. His fingers were digging into her ass cheeks and pulling them apart, then he did something completely unexpected.

He wet his index finger on the juices leaking out of her pussy and spread them over her tight little asshole, then he thrust his finger inside her.

Helen cried out and jerked, not just from the suddenness of his finger up her ass, but also from the intense orgasm that hit her when he did that. All the way through her orgasm he kept up his hard and fast fucking, his cock pounding into her again and again. His finger mirrored the movement of his cock and Helen's orgasm rolled into another and another and yet another!

Her head lolled weakly onto his shoulder and all she could do was whimper quietly as a fifth orgasm came crashing over her when she finally felt him shoot his seed inside her.

She whimpered again when Lucas removed his finger and gently released her legs from around her waist and slipped out of her.

"I'm sorry baby. Did I hurt you?" He whispered wrapping his arms around her and pressing his lips to her throat. Helen gave a shaky laugh.

"Shocked me maybe. Hurt me? No." She said trying to get enough energy to lift her head. "I Know you'll hate me for saying this but Fucking Hell!"

Lucas chuckled against her neck. "So that's a good fucking?"

Helen laughed finally lifting her head to look at him. "Yes I can confirm that was a very good fucking!"

They were still laughing when Lucas helped her slid her knickers back on and they slowly walked out of the winery and made their way to Nonna's. Helen was glad Lucas kept his arm around her waist as she was still a little wobbly. She laughed to see Tigger on his back, legs in the air as Nonna rubbed his belly and fed him pieces of ham.

"Nonna you're going to spoil him." She chided gently as they sat down.

"Maybe but he deserves it. Besides he's come out of his shell." Nonna said defensively, but with a twinkle in her eye.

Helen conceded she was right as Tigger bounded up and practically bounced over to greet them both. She watched Lucas talk with Nonna as they ate lunch, he absentmindedly stroked Tigger's head as he chatted and for a moment Helen could see herself staying married to him for the rest of her life.

But things like that just don't happen, especially to her. No she would just enjoy her time here and when it was over she would leave and never look back - right?

.......................................

Well I'm back after what feels like a long absence - so I'm even more eager to hear what you think of my story, both good and bad comments are welcome but please keep them polite.

Bitemeplease xxxx